Springs estate tenants vote for historic change

Tenants on the Springs estate in Bury have voted overwhelmingly to take complete control of how their council houses are managed.

They have become the first estate in the North West to do so, and only the second in the country.

It means the Springs Tenant Management Co-operative (Springs TMC) will now become a self-financing tenant management company.

This will give the TMC more flexibility and choice over the way services are delivered to tenants and leaseholders. It will also have much greater financial control, as it will be responsible for delivering major capital works such as new kitchens, bathrooms and roofs.

It will also be responsible for gas servicing, administration of the ‘right to buy’ scheme and services to leaseholders, which are all currently provided by Six Town Housing, and grounds maintenance services, currently provided by Bury Council.

The ballot was being conducted by Civica Election Services, formerly Electoral Reform Services, under an independent returning officer.

The result was:

Those in favour of the proposal – 151 (89%)
Those against – 19 (11%)

Councillor Clare Cummins, cabinet member for housing services, said: “The Springs tenants have taken a historic decision, one that was backed by a huge majority of people who live there. I wish them the very best for the future as they take on more direct responsibility for how the estate is managed.”

Ray Wallis, estate director at Springs TMC, said: “This is fantastic news for all our customers. It gives us the opportunity to deliver exactly the type of work tenants need doing to their homes and area using the greater financial control and flexibility self-financing provides. To be only the second Self-Financing Tenant Management Organisation in the country is ground-breaking, not just for Springs TMC but for Bury Council, who we would like to thank for all their help along the way."

ENDS

Picture: Cllr Clare Cummins at the Springs estate office.

Press release issued: 20 December 2021.